Samantha Davies

Nicknamed Sam

British by birth

Breton by adoption

More than 25 transatlantic races

2 round-the-world tours

At the bar of the Initiatives-Coeur since 2017

Life with Sam

Sam was born on 23rd August 1974 in Portsmouth, England, into a seafaring family. Her grandfather was a submarine commander. She took her first steps on her parents’ boat. An accomplished sportswoman, Sam swims, runs and cycles and practices yoga and pilates.

An engineering graduate from the University of Cambridge, Sam began her career in competition sailing at the age of 24 with her first round-the-world crewed race (Jules Verne Trophy, 1998). A perfectionist and persevering, she loves speed and holds up well in competition.

Fun-loving and outgoing, Sam loves to share her passion with the public which is obvious in the funny and sometimes somewhat wacky videos she sends during each race.

When on dry land, Sam lives in Trégunc in Brittany, with her six-year-old son Ruben and partner Romain Attanasio, who is also a professional skipper (Famille Mary-Etamie du Lyse).

Sam and her many moods

Science

Technology

Shipping forecasts

Interesting

Storms Sailing

Boats of any kind

The Muppet Show

Side-splitting

Lies

Pollution

Religious conflicts

Annoying

Sports

swimming in the sea or pool

Spending time with my son

Relaxing

Sam’s achievements

1998

Jules-Verne Trophy

Around-the-world crewed race onboard the Royal & SunAlliance maxi-cat (broken mast off the coast of New Zealand)

(two-crew race with Jeanne Grégoire Concarneau to Saint Bathélémy in the West Indies)

2005

5th in the BPE Trophy

(Saint-Nazaire to Cuba)

2006

12th in the Transat AG2R

with Alexis Barrier on the Imoca Roxy

2007

10th in the Transat Jacques Vabre

with Jeanne Grégoire; 7th in the Transat BtoB (Back to Brittany) on the Imoca Roxy

2008

5th in The Transat

(single-handed ocean race across the Atlantic from east to west)

2008-2009

4th in the Vendée Globe

on the Imoca Roxy in 95 days 4 hours and 39 minutes, only 1 hour 20 minutes behind Marc Guillemot

2010

4th in the Transat AG2R

with her partner Romain Attanasio on the Imoca Savéol

2011

10th in the Transat Jacques Vabre

with Sidney Gavignet on the Imoca Savéol

2012

Vendée Globe

on the Imoca Salvéol They withdrew after the mast broke

2014-2015

6th in the Volvo Ocean Race

skipper of a female crew in this round-the-world staged one-design race on a Volvo Ocean 65 SCA (20.37 metres long)

2015

5th in the Transat Jacques Vabre

with Tanguy de Lamotte on the Initiatives-Coeur Imoca

2017

6th in the Transat Jacques Vabre

with Tanguy de Lamotte on the Initiatives-Coeur Imoca

Sam’s outfits

Sailing in the tropics

Waterproof outfit for deck work

Survival suit for extreme conditions

Sam heartwise

A yachtswoman with a social conscience, Sam supports the humanitarian association Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque which enables children with severe heart defects to be operated on in France when it is impossible to do so in their own country for technical or financial reasons.

In 2018, Sam participated in a humanitarian mission in a hospital in Burundi during which 120 children were examined. In particular, she met seven-year-old Mireille who was brought to the clinic by her grandmother. They had travelled an entire day from the Congo to meet the French cardiologist in the hope that Mireille might be operated on.

The Initiatives-Coeur team

Sam has all the support she needs to meet her goals.An enthusiastic close-knit team to look after every aspect of the racing project.Whether it’s engineering, electronics, outfitting or rigging, they know what they’re doing.